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With approximately 20 acres of our own orchards, the apples are transported to the on-site press, where you will be able to see and have explained to you the conversion process from apple to juice.
We pressed approximately 1000 tonnes last year, and have been investing in plant and equipment to keep up with demand for our products.
Being a family run company, we take pride in producing high quality and delicious cyders.
And don't forget - you can taste before you buy when
you visit our shop.
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We make strong farmhouse cider
according to traditional methods. Our Cornish Scrumpy is
pressed from specially selected cider apple fruit such
as Dabinett, Yarlington Mill and Harry Masters' Jersey.
All the cyder fruit is pressed and fermented at the
farm in large Vats. After fermentation it is left
to mature prior to bottling. Our master cyder maker, then uses his skills to blend the cyders to
produce a drink worthy of carrying the Cornish Scrumpy
label.
Some cyders, made from a particular variety of apple,
can be so exceptional that we will divert them after
fermenting into our wooden oak barrels for further
maturation. Indeed it was a cyder such as this that won
the International Cider and Perry Competition held in
Hereford in 2001. |
Whilst we are very proud of our
traditional Cornish Scrumpy, we realise it is not to
everybody's taste and to cater for this we also make a
lighter sparkling cider.
Visitors to the farm can try the cyders before buying -
we can guarantee to find a cyder that suits your taste
buds.
Visit our secure on-line shop for details of varieties
and how to buy. |
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Originally, farmhouse scrumpy was
produced to pay casual farm labourers for their work at
harvest time. In fact, to be offered money as an
alternative was generally considered an insult! To
attract the best labourers, farmers competed amongst
themselves to produce the best cider. The scrumpy was
carried to the field in firkins - examples of which you
will see in several places around the farm. It was drunk
from a horn that was passed from one individual to
another. The quality of scrumpy varied enormously, since
there was no proper control of the yeasts. Some was
known as "Pig Squeal Scrumpy" because of the
noise you made when you drank it. Nevertheless, it was
always a far purer drink than the local water, which
could carry diseases as typhoid and cholera. Little
surprises that there were many 2 -gallon a day farmhands
around! |
| Fermentation in the past was a
haphazard affair because no one knew how to control the
wild yeasts properly. Often a leg of mutton was thrown
into the barrel, or sometimes the cock's throat was slit
and blood was poured in! It was said that no traces of
meat or bone remained when the barrel was emptied
however. It is also true, that rats who drank from the
froth at the top of a fermenting barrel often got drunk
and fell in. |
The West Country has become famous for
it's production of cider and cultivation of cider apple
orchards. This was largely due to the distances and time
involved in getting fresh fruit to the major urban
markets - it was a far less risky business to process
the apples into cider
We have two very different orchards at the cider farm.
Our historic standard orchard was discovered when we
moved here. Following clearance of the mass of
undergrowth some rare and lovely Cornish apple trees
were discovered - "The Lost Orchards of the Cyder
Farm"! These include Captain Broad, Chacewater
Longstem, Combe Rough Cooker, Cornish Longstem, Cornish
Pine, King Byerd and Late Victoria.
Our cider orchard is very different in appearance &
flavour. It was planted with traditional cider varieties
such as The Sweet Coppin, Harry Master's Jersey, Brown's
Apple, Yarlington Mill, Dabinett and Dunkerton Late
Sweet in 1986.
The orchard is also home to damsons, plums and
elderflower that are processed for use in our Jams or
Country wines. |
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Roughly 200,000 gallons of juice is
pressed each year. The majority of this is fermented in
our 5,000 gallon fermenting Vats to make into our cider.
Approximately 5,000 gallons are diverted to make into
our Scrumpy Wine and another 5,000 gallons for making
our delicious fruit juices.
Every year sees increases in cider production to
satisfy demand. The addition of our distillery also puts
increased pressure on our cider stocks as 1000 gallons
of cider are needed to make 100 gallons of Cyder Brandy.
This is where the fermented juice - now cider or our
country wines - are prepared for bottling. Our master
cider maker uses his skills to blend the contents of the
various Vats to ensure the very best taste and flavour. |
A proportion of this cider will be
pumped to our cellars for maturing in our oak barrels.
It was this cider that won us The International Cider &
Perry Competition held in Hereford in 2001. Not only did
it win in the category of Best Dry Cider but was also
voted by the distinguished tasting panel as Supreme
Overall Champion.
Over the year the contents of the Fermenting Vats will
be bottled and prepared for sale here. |
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